Apparatus for tinning milk cans



March 13, 1928.

, v 1,662,103 c. A. COMP APPARATUS FOR TINNING MILK GANS I Filed April 20. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ciardes A. 60 777p March 13, 1928.

1,662,103 C. A. COMP APPARATUS FOR TINNING MILK CANS Filed April 20. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1928.

C. A. COMP APPARATUS FOR TINNiENG MILK CANS Filed April 20, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 13, 1928.

C. A. COMP APPARATUS FOR TINNING MILK CANS Filed April 20. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 35 AAA QM i/Am @Hmuca Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

CHARLES A. COMP; F DETROZET, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO IBUHL STAMPING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR TINNING MILK CANS.

Application filed April 20, 1-925; Serial No; 24,707.

The invention rel-ates to machines for rapidly rotating articles such as milk cans and parts used. in this manufacture after they have been removed from a bath of molten tin and consists in certain novel features of construction ashereinafter set forth, which renders it particularly adaptable for use in the process of tinning articlesdcscribed in my copending application'Ser.

No. 24 706, filed April 20, 1925. j

The objects of the invention are first, to provide a machine of simple construction in which the article may be quickly secured before it is materially reduced in temperaturc; second, to provide means for quickly starting the rotation of the portion of the machine carrying the article; third, to prevent the cooling of the article below the melting point of the tin until after ithas been subjected to centrifugal force and fourth to provide for an automatic stop after a predetermined rotation of the article in order that it may be removed and another piece inserted in the machine. Other objects reside in certain novel features of construc tion whicl-i will be more apparent after consideration of the detailed description of the apparatus as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings 1- t Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of a: multiple spindle machine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through one of the spinning units;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a portion of the machine; c

Figure 4 is a plan view;

Figure 5 is a transverse section substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on line 6 6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified machine;

Figure 8 is a plan view thereof partlyin section;

Figure 9 has transverse section on the line 9 of Figure 7.

The machine as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a frame 10, on which are mounted a series of spinner units 1'1, 12 and 13 recommon electric motor 1 1 mounted at one end of the frame. The frame is preferably built up of structural iron having longitudinal channel members 15 and the transverse angle bars 16. 1 7 is a: horizontal shaft exspectivcly, all of which are driven by a tending longitudinally of the frame and driven from the motor by the chain drive 18. The shaft is supported in suitable bearings 19 and carries the bevel pinions 20 for transmitting the rotation to the various Spinner units. I

Each of the spinner unit-s comprises a vertical hollow spinner shaft 2L journaled by means of the thrust bearing 22 on a suitable support 23 preferably formed by the upwardly inclined legs 2% rising from the transverse angle bars 16' of the frame. With in the hollow shaft 21 is inserted a stiffening shaft 25 which extends below the lower end of the hollow shaft and carries the rotatable sleeve 26. A. bevel gear 27 is keyed to the sleeve 26 and meshes with the bevel pinion 20 while a clutch 28 is mounted above the gear 27 and is longitudinally slidable upon the sleeve 26 as well as being keyed thereto by the key 28% At the upper end of the clutch 28 thereis a: cone-shaped clutch member 29 adapted to engage a cooperating clutch member 30 on the lower end of the shaft 21, the cooperating clutch member be ing provided with the internally coned'surface 31. For operating the clutch there is" a lever 32 secured to the horizontal: shaft and having a bifurcated outer end 34 secured to a collar 35, the latter surrounding the clutch collar 28" and engaging the annular shoulder The bifurcatedou-ter end 34 is provided with horizontally elongated apertures 3-7 tl-rrouglr which project pins 3 8,

' the latter being threadedly secured to the collar 35.

The horizontal shaft 83 extends trans' versely of the frame 10 and is journaled in bearings 40 upon the longitudinal members 15. For rocking the shaft toraise and-10W- er the clutch a lever ll ispinned or keyed to the cnd l2' of the shaft projecting beyond the frame and carries at its outer end a foot pedal a3 j'lhe pedal is normally heldin raised position by a spring 44 arranged ba tweenv the same and a bracket 15 projecting from the frame, The shaft 33 also carries a pair of lovers 6 to theupper ends of which is secured a brake shoe 47 provided with a segmental surface 48 adapted to engage the outer surface d9 of the clutch memher 30s The brake shoe is preferably provided with a friction lining50 oflea'th'er or other suitable material. The levers 32 and 46 are so mounted on the shaft 33 that the clutch member 29 and the brake shoe 47 are alternately engaged with the spinner shaft 21 by the movement of the foot pedal 43.

It is desirable that the spinner shaft 21 be provided with an arrangement for automatically stopping the same after a predetermined amount of rotation, and for this purpose, I have provided the following mechanism. The pedal 43 is normally urged towards its upper position by a spring 44, but is adapted to be held in lower position by a catch 51 pivotally mounted on the bracket 52 and normally held in engagement with the foot pedal by a spring 53. A rod 54 is attached to the catch 51 and has slidably mounted thereon the rack 55. A spring 56 is sleeved upon the outer end of the rod 54 between the rack and a collar 57. 58 is a pinion meshing with the rack 55 and loosely mounted upon a shaft 59, which shaft is connected by suitable gearing to the main shaft 17 of the apparatus. For clutching the pinion 58 to the shaft 59 there is a cone clutch comprising the conical member 60 loosely mounted on the shaft 59 and connected tothe pinion 58 and the cooperating clutch member 61 non-rotatably secured to the shaft 59. The clutch member (31 is longitudinally slidable upon the shaft 58 so as to engage the cooperating member (30 and for controlling this movement there is a lever 62 having a bifurcated arm 63 supporting a collar 64, the latter being engageable with clutch member 61. The lever 62 sccln'cd to the tranverse shaft 33 and is causes the pinion 58 i10 l)0 driven'in timed relation with the main shaft 17. At the same time the spinner shaft 21 is started to rotate by the release of the brake shoe 47 and the engagement of the clutch member 29 with the clutch member 30. The pinion 58 is driven at a reduced rate of speed because of'the reduction gearing between the same and the shaft 17, and since it engages the rack 55 the latter is moved longitudinally on the shaft 54 against the tension of the spring 56; When the spring is compressed to an amount sufiicient to overcome the force exerted by the spring 53 the catch 51 will be withdrawn from engagement with the foot pedal 43 and, the latter acting through the levers connected therewith will release the clutch on the spindle and apply the brake shoe 41, thereby quickly stopping the rotation. of the spinner shaft. The movement of the foot pedal 43 will also release the clutch 61 so that the pinion once more is loosely mounted on the shaft 58 and rack 55 resumes its original position.

For supporting thearticle to berotated a.

suitable fixture is provided at the upper end of the spinner shaft. This fixture as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is designed to support the upper portion of the milk can usually called the milk can breast and comprises an annular casting 65 having the radial plungers (36,, the outer ends of which are tapered to a sharp edge (57 in order that the flow of tin will not be impeded thereby. The plungers are resiliently held in engagement with the work by springs (58 sleeved upon the plungers between the shoulders 69 and the casting flanges 70. It will be under stood that other fixtures of asimilar nature can readily be designed to support on the spinner shaft articles having difl'erent contours such for example, as the milk can cover.

7 3 is a cylindrical casing surrounding the spinner unit and provided with a cover 74 hingcdly connected thereto. Within this casing and below the article supported on the spinner shaft there is arranged a re movable annular container 75 open at its upper end and provided with a conical lower surface 75" adapted to rest upon the inclined legs 24. The container serves to collect the surplus tin which is thrown from the article by centrifugal force and it may be removed through the top of the casing when it is desired to empty the same.

The machine as above described is designed for the rotation of milk can parts after they have been removed from a bath of molten tin and it should be noted that. with the machine as designed there are a plurality of spinning units driven by a single motor but each unit is separately controlled. In operation the spinning units are rotated at a suitable speed, c. g. from 150 to 300 R. P. M., by means of the variable speed motor 14. The parts whcn re moved from the tin bath are at a temperature of approximately 100 above the melting point of tin and are quickly inserted on the supporting fixture which automatically positions the parts coaxially of: the spinner.

depressed so that/the article is spun before the tin is congealed upon the surface.

After a predetermined rotation the spinner is autrmiatically stopped in the manner above described, the article is removed from the spinner and a new article withdrawn from the tin bath and mounted on the mounted similarly to the corresponding shaft ill rpearoc 21 in the machine first described and is driven and stopped in the same manner. A horizontal plate 77 is secured to the spinner shaft and carries at its outer edges the horizontal angle bars 78 which extend in opposite directions forming supports for the cradles 78 in which the milk mounted. Each of these cradles comprises a pair of semi-cylindrical metallic straps having the opposite ends thereof secured to the angle bars '78 and provided midway between the ends with inwardly projecting positioning pins 80. A sheet metal semi cylindrical lower housing 80 is also secured to said angle bars and carries at its opposite ends the circular sheet metal heads 81 and 82. 83 is a semi-cylindrical upper housing lii ngedly attached to one of the angle bars as indicated at 8+ so as to permit opening of the housing for theinsertion and removal of the milk can 85. For positioning the mill; can within the housing there are in addition to the pins 80 the sharp pointed strips 79 extending inwardly from the angle bars T8 for engaging the milk can near the bottom thereof and also the round pointed strips 87 for engaging the rounded head 88. This head is formed at the junction of the breastof the milk can With the cylindrical lower portion. For absorbing the radial thrust due to the rotation of the device there are the inwardly projecting strips 89 formed with lateral portions 90 adapted to engage the handles 91 of the milk can.

lVith the modified construction as above described, it will be readily apparent that the assembled milk cans may be securely held within a surrounding casing so that the longitudinal axis extends radially of the spinner shaft. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that the milk can can be quickly mounted in the machine after being removed from the tin bath so that it can be subjected to centrifugal action before the temperature drops to the solidification point of the molten tin.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination, a centrifuge, driving means for said centrifuge, a clutch between said driving means and centrifuge, a lever for actuating said clutch, resilient means for urging said clutch toward one positiolna catch for holding said clutch in the other position, a shaft constantly driven by said driving means, and means operable by said shaft for automatically releasin said catch after a predetermined rotation of said centrifuge.

2. In combination, a centrifuge, driving means for said centrifuge, a clutch between said driving means and centrifuge, a lever for actuating said clutch, resilient means for urging said clutch toward disengaged position, a catch for holding said clutch in en gaged position, a second clutch operated by said lever, api'nion driven by said second clutch, and means for releasing said catch operated by said pinion after a predeter combination with a centrifuge having a diriae ing shaft therefor, of a clutch intermediate said driving shaft and centrifuge, a second shaft geared to said driving shaft, a pinion normally moved on said shaft, a second clutch between said pinion and said second shaft, a lever arranged to engage both of said clutches, common means for holding both of said clutches in engaged position, a re '1; meshing with said pinion, a resilient connection between said rack and said catch for releasing the latter after a predetermined rotation of said centrifuge.

5. In an apparatusof the class described the combination with a centrifuge and a driving shaft therefor, of a clutch intermediatesaid driving shaft and centrifuge, a second shaft geared to said driving shaft, a pinion loosely mounted on said second shaft, a second clutch between said pinion and said second shaft, a lever for simultaneously operating both of said clutches to engage the same, a catch engageable with said lever, a rack meshing with said pinion, a resilient connection between said rack and said catch for releasing the latter after a predetermined rotation of said centrifuge, and a brake engageable with said centrifuge and operated by said lever.

6. An apparatus for rotating articles comprising a frame, a vertical spinner shaft journaled thereon, a work holder on said shaft, :1, driving shaft, a clutch intermediate said driving and spinner shafts, a brake drum on said spinner shaft, a brake shoe, a lever connected to said clutch and said brake shoe, a spring normally holding said lever in a position to seat said brake shoe and to disengage said clutch, a catch engageable with said lever when the latter is in position to engage said clutch, a spring urging said catch toward said lever, a rod attached to said catch, a rack slidable upon said rod, a springconnection between said rack and rod, a pinion engageable with said rack, a shaft driven by said driving shaft, a second clutch between said pinion and said shaft and an arm operated by said lever for actuating said second clutch.

7. In a'machine of thetclass described the combination with a centrifuge and a driving shaft for said centrifuge, of a friction clutch intermediate said shaft and centrifuge provided with a frictionbrake, a second shaft driven by said driving shaft, a pinion loosely .nounted on said second shaft, a second clutch for driving said pinion from said second shaft, common means for releasing said brake and engaging both of said clutches, and automatic means operable by said pinion for disengaging both of said clutches and applying said brake.

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a rotatable member, a driving shaft, a clutch between 'the rotatable member and the driving shaft, a second shaft geared to the driving shaft, a pinion, a clutch between the second shaft and the pinion,

common 'means for engaging both of the clutches and means automatically operable by the said pinion for disengaging both of the said clutches.

9. In combination, a driving shaft, a plu rality of centrifuges, a clutch arranged between each centrifuge and the said driving shaft, clutch disengaging means associated with each centrifuge, a second clutch associated with each centrifuge for connecting the said clutch disengaging means with the said driving shaft, and means associated with each centrifuge for actuating both of the said clutches whereby each centrifuge and each clutch disengaging means may be simultaneously connected with the said driving shaft. 1

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

CHARLES A. COMP. 

